The Archer and the Fish
by TheHattersNiece
Summary: When seven year old Artemis is saved by a strange boy at the docks her life is changed forever. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story so please be nice when it comes to reviewing. The start isn't really mine, I did put it in my own words though. When I read it I decided I just had to write more of the story.**

**I'm not the best at fluff since I'm only 12, but I will try for those fluff lovers out there (I know I'm one). I will also try my best at humour, but don't get your hopes up :P**

She kicked at a stone as she walked down the Gotham docks. The cold nipping at her face. She knew that she had to go back to where her father was waiting for her eventually, this was the fifth time she had run away from home. But for now she just wanted to live in the moment, her punishment could wait.

She sat down at the end of the docks and breathed in the sea air. The night dragged on and she knew that if she didn't start moving soon the cold would claim her, but instead she just looked out at the endless ink coloured sea, shivering until her shivering ceases. Slowly her eyes start to close and her fingers go numb.

She keeled over and plunged into the sea, its icy hands pushing her deeper into the water. she kicked furiously, but to no avail. She watched the last of her breath floated up to the surface. She faced the fact that she was going to die, and no one would care, her body lost forever at the bottom of the docks. She let the sea claim her, knowing there was no longer any hope. All of a sudden she's broken the surface and sweet air is filling her lungs. She feels two warm hands grab her waist and push her up and onto the docks.

She lies on the docks for a moment, her chest is heaving and her teeth won't stop chattering. She almost forgets about her savior as she hauls her shaking body into a more comfortable position. Looking back, she found her that her hero was but a boy, no older than her, with the bluest eyes she's ever seen and a mess of black hair. He's still in the water but doesn't seem cold.

"Thanks" she smiles, "for the help."

"Help" he says, he couldn't more than six but sound indignant enough for an adult. "You would have died if i hadn't rescued you."

She frowned, leaning closer to him.

"Aren't you freezing?"

The boy just smiled, and Artemis smiled back.

"My names Artemis"

The boy opened his mouth, about to say something, but stopped as a look of fear passed his face. It was soon replaced however by a grin that spread from ear to ear.

As he dived back beneath the waves, a brilliant blue tail followed behind him.

No evidence of his existence remained except for the echo of his laugh as he plunged beneath the sea.

Artemis didn't see that boy again for nine years.

**My chapters will most likely be short, but I will try to write more to make up for that. Hope you like it so far, I will update soon :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter! I have at least 35 outlined so far though, I've got a long way to go :l anyways feel free to private message me ideas and what not.**

She stared wistfully out the windows of her classroom, the smell of old books filled the air. Her best friend Bette was sitting next to her, trying to get her attention.

Artemis sighed and looked towards Bette.

"What?"

Bette frowned.

It wasn't unlike her friend to ask her pointless questions in checked to see whether the teacher was looking.

"I just wanted to know if you were going to the school dance" she whispered.

Artemis huffed. The dance was two months away and Bette knew that.

She glared at the blonde for disturbing her daydream and went back to staring out the window. Her Algebra II teacher droning on ing the background.

Her mind started to wander back to that day nine years ago, she had managed to convince herself it was just a hallucination that the cold brought on, still, she couldn't wrack her mind as to how she climbed back up the docks.

She frowned.

Every time she tried to think about what happened that day she just made herself frustrated. Yet that memory seemed to pop up more and more these days.

She was only seven at the time so she didn't remember much, and what she did remember was distorted.

A boy with grey eyes and a silver tail that shouldn't belong to a man, but a fish.

No, not grey eyes, blue. The memory of the fish boy started to come back to her.

"-Mis!" she was vaguely aware of someone shouting at her. The memory started to fade.

"Artemis!" she glared at the person who had interrupted her, then realising who she was glaring at she quickly stopped.

Mr. Creet, her Algebra II teacher looked like he was nearing breaking point.

"As you well know I do not care for daydreamers, now come up and solve this problem like I have been asking you to do for the past five minutes!"

He managed to get that all out in one breath which resulted in his face turning red. She tried not to laugh as he seemingly got redder and redder.

She looked towards the board and groaned. She hated math.

**Hope you liked it! I have another chapter ready but I still need to type it up (I write my stories the old fashioned way :P) so it shouldn't be too far off, please review, it really helps me write more! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for the reviews! It left a smile on my face all afternoon, I mean it!**

**School started today :( So now I can't write as much. **

**Year 7 here I come! **

She walked out the class, embarrassed and defeated. Bette was just outside the classroom giggling uncontrollably, as she had been from the moment Artemis had started to explain the problem, clearly not knowing what she was doing. Scoring both Artemis and Bette a detention.

Bette for laughing too much and Artemis for daydreaming.

She sighed, Bette is allowed to laugh, she was her friend, but in the classroom she couldn't help but notice Mr. Creeds snide smile.

"So-sorry" she choked out between laughs.

"A-about de-detention" a new wave of giggles overtook her.

"Come on, were wasting lunch"

But Bette either didn't hear over the giggling or didn't care.

"I wasn't that bad!" she said, now annoyed that they were wasting lunch.

Bette's laughs finally died down.

She went with Artemis to meet Barbara for lunch. Bette led the way, her curly blonde her bouncing behind her.

As they entered the cafeteria Artemis tried to ignore the smell of grease whilst avoiding spilt food. It was survival of the fittest in here, you'd think for a private school that the cafeteria would be above the usual standards, but alas no, even Gotham North was better than here. She wondered why.

Still lost in though Artemis sat down as Bette greeted Barbara.

"Hey Barb, how was english?" She asked, the occasional giggle still escaping her mouth.

The red-head didn't look up from her mountain of work.

"Go get me something to eat"

Still not looking up Barbara shoved ten dollars into Bette's hands.

"That bad huh?"

"I eat when I'm stressed, now go, my stomach beckons" She waved Bette away.

"Barb" Artemis tried to get her attention, she didn't answer.

It took a few more tries before Barbara realised she was talking to her.

"Hmm..."

"Put the book away and try to relax, that works not due till next week"

She looked up and frowned.

"I know that"

"Then why are you doing it now?"

"Because-" she was cut off as Bette sat down, arms laden with food.

"Okay, so I got you a doughnut, some fries and a hamburger, is that unhealthy enough?"

She passed Barbara the change.

"I think so, thanks" Barbara smiled as she pushed all her books to one side of the table and took a bite of her greasy burger. Artemis wrinkled her nose and proceeded to take a bite of her sandwich. No sooner had she taken one bite than a boy from one of her classes, James she thought, came up to their table and sat next to Artemis.

The three girls exchanged a look. Ever since the school dance was announced boys had been asking girls out left right and centre, it was only a matter of time...

"So..." he started, his blonde hair flopping over his face.

He stopped to scratch his head, his brown eyes nervous.

"I was just wondering..."

He paused and Bette started to tell him that there was no way that any of them would even _ consider_ going to the dance with him but is cut off by Barbara who knew how to let him down easy, not break his little heart.

"Sorry, um, James right" she paused and he nodded, knowing what was coming next.

"It's just, that we, well, already have dates" she said bluntly.

Artemis nearly choked on her sandwich.

"Wha-!" Bette's hand clamped over her mouth an Artemis seriously considered biting it.

James smile was sheepish.

"Oh, okay" he completely fell for Barbara's lie.

"Not to be intrusive but..." he stopped, considering whether he should keep talking.

"Who are you going with?" he picked up his sentence with renewed confidence.

This time Barbara didn't have an answer.

"Oh! Okay, well umm, I'm going with Jake Reeves" Bette chimed in, Artemis knew this wouldn't end well.

"Barb's going with..."

Bette scanned the room.

"Oliver Chiles"

Barbara had a look of horror on her face. At least Bette had enough sense to pick boys that she knew James didn't know.

"And Artemis is going with..." Bette once again scanned the room. Artemis bit her lip, preparing for the worst.

Her eyes lit up just as Dick came to sit down.

"Artemis is going to the dance with Dick!"

Bette pulled Dick towards them. He just grinned his evil grin.

"Yeah, me and Artemis are going together"

Barbara glared at Bette but Artemis just sighed, why was it always her. Oh well, she thought to herself, at least it wasn't set in stone. She hoped. She didn't plan on going to the dance, she hated things like that. All the big hair and fluffy dresses just wasn't her.

She finished off her sandwich and went to her next class.

**Please review some more, it really encouraged me to write this chapter.**

**Fact of the day:**

**It would cost over $300 million to be a real-life Batman. Anyone got $300 mil hanging around?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I didn't update yesterday, but on the upside this is the longest chapter so far :)**

**Feel free to PM me and give me ideas for what could happen next!**

Instead of going home after school like she usually did she had ended up at the beach. Bette had somehow managed to convince Artemis to go swimming, something only _she_ could do.

It was a hot spring day and Bette had decided to make the most of it. They both rushed home to grab swimsuits before they left and Artemis was grateful, the beach was more inviting than expected. It's waves a soothing melody.

They swam out to deep waters where the ocean was less crowded.

"Aren't you glad you came now" Bette said lazily.

Artemis gave in.

"Yes" she admitted meekly.

"And I'm not going to let you forget it"

She smiled.

They paddled with content out to a cluster of rocks not far from where they previously were and clambered up. Artemis breathed in the sea air.

"Bette."

"Hmm..." She spread herself out on the rocks, leaving Artemis with little to no room.

"First, move" Bette just ignored her.

"And second, why did you say I was going to the dance with Dick! Can't you keep your big mouth shut for once!"

"Huh? Oh right, relax, you don't have to go with him, I just said that so I didn't have to go to the dance with that creep James."

Bette wrinkled her nose.

"It still doesn't make it right."

She pouted.

"Whatever, anyway, I don't get what the big deal is, Dicks cute enough."

Artemis laughed, only Bette would see a friend in that light.

"Yeah, well, you conveniently chose Mr. tall, dark, and brooding, the cutest guy out of all three of us."

"Hey, first come, first serve!"

They laughed as the sun started to set, turning the sky pink.

She jumped into the water drenching Bette.

"Hey!"

Bette jumped in after her and before Artemis could react grabbed her shoulders, playfully pulling her under.

Artemis knew she was just joking around, but she still couldn't shake that déjà vu feeling. She kicked up to the surface and sat back up on the rocks, looking thoughtfully back to where Bette was lounging in the water. She spread out like a starfish with her eyes closed.

"Hey Bette."

She didn't answer.

"What's the time?"

Bette looked at her watch, realisation dawning on her.

"Crap! It's 5:30! I gotta go, I told mum that I'd be back by 4:00! I am in _so_ much trouble!"

She started but paused.

"Do you want a ride home?"

Artemis thought for a minute, Bette waiting impatiently.

"No, I think I'll stay here for a little while longer."

"Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow"

She smiled then waving goodbye swam back to shore, Artemis watching as she did so.

She sighed and stared at the beautiful sunset. Her mind once again wandering back to that day years ago, it baffled her, why was it that she couldn't remember.

_Come on, remember. _She thought to herself.

She was vaguely aware of sirens in the distance.

A louder siren broke the spell and she looked back towards the shore.

She cursed under her breath, it was the shark siren. Gotham rarely had visits from the creatures, but when they did it was a full-blown ordeal. The life guards didn't know how to handle these situations since they so rarely happened.

She sighed, now she was stuck on these rocks for who knows how long.

Just as she was considering swimming back to shore she caught movement in the corner of her eye.

She spun around, wondering what it could have been.

She was splashed from behind and was beginning to feel uneasy. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, the sea air filling her lungs.

_Get a hold of yourself Artemis. It was just a wave, you're freaking out because the shark siren went off, that's all, no big deal._

Something wet hit her face and dropped down into her hands just as she heard a strangely familiar cackle. She looked at it, completely confused.

It was a live fish, flopping helplessly in her hands. She dropped it back in the ocean and eyed the water. Ready for whatever was thrown at her next.

She's caught completely by surprise however as a boys face broke the surface of the water. A wide grin spreading from ear to ear.

This boy had some of the bluest eyes she had ever seen, with a mess of jet black hair and toned chest. His face was also strangely familiar, though she couldn't think as to why.

"Why did you throw a fish at me" she accused.

Grin still plastered on his face he said;

"What fish?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"The fish you just threw at me!"

"I don't see a fish" he was obviously enjoying teasing her so she dropped the subject, much to his disappointment.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing all the way out here?"

She glared at him.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe swimming. Well I would be if it weren't for the stupid shark."

"Please!" he scoffed.

"There's no shark within ten miles of this place"

"And how would you know that." She asked pointedly.

He shrugged and pulled her into the water.

"What are-!" She didn't manage to finish her sentence before being pulled into the now black sea.

"Who do you think you are!" she yelled.

The boy thought for a second.

"Call me Robin" he didn't know why he chose that name, perhaps because he had seen the small birds in the park, or maybe it was just the first thing that came to mind, but he found that it strangely suited him.

"As in, like, the bird." Her face amused.

"Yes." he said proud of his own genius.

Somehow the boy managed to stay afloat with seemingly no effort. Artemis had never been good at swimming but even she knew it shouldn't be that easy.

"How do you stay afloat like that?" She questioned.

He laughed that familiar laugh and she glared at him.

"What?" He chuckled.

"I feel like I know you" she frowned.

A look of fear passed his face but disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"My names Artemis, by the way." She was still confused by his familiar face.

He smiled.

"Like I said, you can call me Robin."

And with that he dove down into the waves, a brilliant blue tail following behind him.

**Please review and tell me if its any good :)**

**Fact of the day:**

**The Flash is faster than Superman! (Apparently) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Originally this was going to be connected to the last chapter but I decided to separate them, sorry it's so short, but, like I said, I didn't plan on it being a chapter of it's own.**

**And on a different subject, I GOT A BATMAN PHONE CASE! Sorry for those of you who don't care. At all. But I just had to put it in.**

Realisation washed over her as her eyes widened.

It had been 9 years, but she knew it was the same boy. How could she not have realised this sooner.

She ducked down beneath the water, knowing it was hopeless, and searched for that beautiful blue tail, but her search was fruitless, as she knew it would be, and admitted defeat.

Maybe he was just another hallucination .

Maybe she had some sort of mental problem involving mermen hallucinations that was yet to be discovered.

Maybe it was just a dolphin that her mind had portrayed as a boy.

Maybe...

No, there were too many maybe's!

"Stop it Artemis!" She scolded herself as she put her palms to her eyes.

Great, now she's talking to her self. She must be mad. Mad as a Hatter.

No. She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Not a Hatter, they brought back bad memories.

But she was definitely mad, she tried to convince herself. But no matter how hard she tried to pretend, she knew what had just happened.

She sighed and swam back to shore, ignoring the shark sirens as she did so.

Though all the way home she couldn't help thinking about the fish boy and his smile.

**Fact of the day:**

**Luke Skywalker is the voice of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series.**


	6. Chapter 6

**It's Friday, finally. **

**This chapter is pretty short, but I have something big planned for the dance so ****hopeful you guys keep reading long enough for what is hopefully a cool twist. **

**Thank you so much randomkitty101 for all the reviews, it means a lot to me. :)**

**Anyway, hope this chapter is good, but that's up to you guys to decide :D **

She kicked at a can as she walked home. Hard. It bounced off the wall next to her making a loud bang.

She was angry. Angry at him for tricking her into thinking he was a hallucination.

Angry at herself for not realising who he was sooner.

But most of all angry at the fact that he existed. Her life was confusion free (well, mostly) before he came into the picture.

She sighed in frustration and accepted that, even though she wished she had never gone out to the docks that fateful day, she had. Now she had to put up with it.

The walk home was long and tedious, but she didn't mind, it gave her time to think.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice the pole in front of her until she was face to face with it.

It's cold metal hit her face hard. She rubbed her throbbing nose. Eyes burning with tears that were yet to fall.

"Deep in thought huh?" She spun around towards Dicks familiar voice and felt heat rush to her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" she accused as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Were you watching me, you know that's creepy, right?"

He grinned.

"It's a free country"

"Not for all of us" she murmured under her breath.

"Hey!" He raised his arms in defense, smile still on his face. She noticed that his hair was damp.

"It's not my fault I was adopted by one of the richest men in Gotham"

She narrowed her eyes and started to walk away.

"Wait!"

She kept walking.

"Mis!" She stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"Yes?" He looked sheepish.

"I was wondering if maybe..." he trailed off and she tapped her foot impatiently.

"If maybe you wanted to go to the dace with me?"

She glared at him.

"Dick I am so over that stupid joke!" She stormed off.

"Artemis wait!" She kept walking.

"I meant it! This isn't about Bette's stupid joke" something in his tone made her stop. She turned and looked at him in surprise.

"As friends," she knitted her brows in confusion.

He saw her confusion and took a deep breath before he continued.

"Do you, Artemis, want to go to the dance with me, Richard, as friends because otherwise you won't go and I don't want you to miss out on all the fun"

He managed to say that all in one breath and Artemis figured, what the hey, she's got nothing to lose, and Dick was right, she wouldn't go otherwise.

"Fine" she said suddenly exasperated, and walked off.

Dicks eyebrows still raised at the fact she had agreed.

**Okay, I'm starting a new rule. I am not going to update unless I get at least five reviews with constructive criticism. I mean, I do love being told my story is good, it makes my day, but I also really want to improve it. So, if you want a new chapter, you better get ****reviewing.**

**Fact of the day: According to the comics, Lex Luthor is pissed at Superman because he thinks Superman contributed towards the balding of his head when he was a child. **

**Okay…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, sorry I haven't updated in a while, I should have ages ago because this chapter was ready and waiting, it just needed to be typed up. So for that I am sorry. **

**Thank you all so much for the reviews, I've tried to take it all into account but I think that no matter how hard I push myself 1,000 words is about as long as I can get it, I am trying to make it longer though, I promise I won't give up. I have also made a personal rule, my minimum word amount is 1,000, so you guys should be getting longer chapters by my standards now.**

**Also I am having a major writers block, could you guys PM me a reason for sports master to get really mad at a nine year old Artemis. If I don't get any ideas then it could be while before chapter 10 comes out, the other chapters I have ready, but I really want to get 10 finished before I post any more. Sorry :(**

**I feel like I wanted to say something else, but now I can't remember :/**

**Anyway, enjoy the story :)**

She plodded up the creaky wooden steps to her apartment, she was immediately greeted by her mother who wheeled over to her. But Artemis didn't feel like talking, she was tired and needed to go to bed. She told her mother she just wanted to take a nap which satisfied the woman.

"Just don't forget to do your homework she called after her" Artemis just collapsed into her bed and embraced sleep.

She woke from a dreamless slumber. She groaned and got up, knowing she wouldn't fall back asleep, she looked at her clock and swore. The red light informed her that it was 1:37 am, she wasn't getting that homework done.

She grabbed her laptop and stared at the bright screen for several minutes before unconsciously typing the word mermen into the search engine.

She clicked on the first link and skimmed through the different information on the page.

"Mermen are sentient beings, although not high in intelligence" she scoffed and grabbed a notepad and pen, wanting to write this down.

"The are humanoid above the waist merging into a fish tail below. Their hair comes in a range of oceanic colours. Black, blue, green, purple and silver with the occasional orange or white blonde. They are said to come in male or female gender. Though only females appear in public. Thus most legends only speak of mermaids and not mermen."

She scrolled down. Sirens and the occasional shout in the distance. No doubt some sort of robbery.

"Their spoken language, mermish is said to be simplistic, heavily aspirated and only spoken above water"

Her eyes started to droop.

"Below the water they communicate through a series of whistles, fluting sounds, sub and super-sonic pulses that humans cannot hear, much like dolphins. It is thought that creatures like whales and dolphins can understand this language."

Her eyes closed and she felt herself relax, she embraced sleep once more, her dreams filled with fish-men and their smiles.

* * *

He swam through the water, its touch cool against his skin. The various fish and corals that flashed by as he raced on created a colourful scene, smirk still on his face after meeting _his_, he stopped, _the _blonde. He mentally scolded himself and swam on. His tail beating furiously against the strong currents as he made his way to the ruins.

He was nearly there when his best friend Wally joined him, his face cheerful.

"So...Why is it you visit that pretty breather anyway" Dick turned to him, his eyes pleading.

"Don't worry" he laughed

"I won't tell"

Dick felt a weight he hadn't noticed lift off his chest. He must like visi-_ teasing,_ he corrected himself, Artemis more than he thought.

"Why did you call yourself Robin though?"

"Because she's one of my best friends at school" he said sadly, though he couldn't think why.

Wally nodded, understanding.

"Have you seen him yet?" the red-head asked.

"No, not yet. I was just on my way. I'm really late" he said the last bit more to himself than to Wally.

"I predict a year of good fortune, safety and pleasant surprises" he said in a mock tone and Dick couldn't help but smirk.

"Yes, well, I still have to visit Klarion even if I already know what he has to say."

As they headed towards the crumbling ruins Wally parted, only those of royal blood were to see Klarion the witch boy.

The ruins were falling apart, but their beauty still remained. They had been built on a ledge in a black abyss centuries ago. Dicks eyes quickly adjusted to the light and he swam closer.

Broken pillars were scattered here and there with the occasional statue. As he approached the entrance he heard a voice.

"Your late" his silky tone flowed through the water, black tail swishing back and forth impatiently.

"Was the Blonde really so interesting as to keep me waiting"

Dick smiled apologetically and sat down on a broken pillar, the sharp stones scraping against his tail.

The witch carefully opened a beautifully decorated clam, black pearls decorated the edges with stones the same colour as his eyes creating a spiral pattern towards the centre where there gleamed a silver bird.

Klarion pulled out a purple pearl of enormous size that put the clam to shame.

A catfish was swimming around Dick's fins, he wrinkled his nose in disgust, no matter how many years he had visited Klarion, he had always hated that fish. He kicked it away and the witch shot him a look.

The pearl started to glow a ghostly blue, different from other years when it had glowed a bright purple.

Worry lined Klarion's face and Dick felt uneasy.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I sense a disturbance"

Klarion swam over and placed the orb on a small plinth, its carvings told stories of flight and freedom, the two things impossible for a royal.

The witches eyes rolled back in his head as he said in a voice that wasn't his;

"A grave misfortune comes"

Dick swallowed, this had never happened before.

On his way to the palace he is greeted once more by Wally.

"Well..." he waited for a reply.

"The usual" Dick faked a smile and the red-head smirked as he swam off.

Dick reached the palace in no time. It was a place of grandeur and magnificence. Every marble tile polished, every hall lined with the finest art and every wall contained embedded jewels. He thought it was a little over the top.

He swam through the corridors towards the throne room.

When he reached it he bowed and looked up at his father, the king, who sat upon a solid gold throne with carvings of merfolk.

The tall man rose from his throne and glided towards Dick. They were almost identical, from the dark hair to their blue tails, the kings old age the only difference.

"A year of good fortunes and safety is to be expected" he informed the king.

The man smiled.

"Very good, very good..." he trailed off

"You are dismissed" He exited the room leaving Dick to do as he pleased. The king didn't worry about how Dick entertained himself, just trusted him to follow the rules of the merfolk, a mistake.

Dick left the palace and swam to a large stone house, nothing compared to beauty of the palace, but nevertheless, magnificent.

He rapped on the stone next to the window.

Zatanna looked up from her work. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him and she swam over, deep purple tail beating lazily at the water.

"The usual" he lied.

She smiled and kissed him. He quickly pulled away however as her father asked who she was talking to. She rolled her eyes and bid him goodnight.

Dick swam away and headed towards home, all the while thinking about those striking silver eyes instead of the soft purple ones he had become so accustomed to.

**I don't really care too much about the five rule limit any more, I just wanted to know how to improve my story. But if you are going to post reviews please keep telling me how to improve it even more. Adulation doesn't help me write a better story :)**

**Fact of the day;**

**DC created a superhero called Dog Welder. Pretty straightforward name, because his superpower was to weld dead dogs to people's faces. **

**Okay… :/**


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